Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. press release, October 6, 2000

MEWS FROM Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. Second Congressional District of Maryland 1407 York Road, Suite 304 Lutherville, Maryland 21093 315 Cannon House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: Jill Homan October 6, 2000 202/225-3061 Congressman Ehrlich Works to Provide Seniors Prescription Drug Benefits WASHINGTON, D.C. - Congressman Robert L. Ehrlich, Jr. (R-2nd) today stated his firm support for the Congressional Republican’s comprehensive approach to providing prescription drug benefits and strengthening Medicare for seniors. This plan proposes five reforms on which Congress would like to reach an agreement with the Clinton Administration: (1) Protection of Social Security and Medicare surpluses by prohibiting the expendiure of money from those accounts; (2) The Medicare Rx 2000 Act which offers needy seniors the choice of several federally- subsidized prescription drug plans offered by the private sector; (3) A $40 billion set aside over the next five years to provide a prescription drug benefit for all seniors; (4) A $21 billion expenditure over the next five years to provide relief to a variety of Medicare providers, especially those Medicare plans that currently provide prescription drug coverage to seniors and expand their coverage to others; and (5) Legislation to allow seniors to buy lower-priced drugs in countries such as Canada while preserving the safety of America’s prescription drug supply. Congressman Ehrlich stated, “I am hopeful the President will work with my Congressional colleagues and I to find common ground on these measures. We will continue to reject harmful proposals which force seniors into a single take-it-or-leave-it, one-size-fits-all plan administered by a Washington bureaucracy. Instead, we remain committed to developing a bipartisan remedy that is affordable, available, and voluntary. ### c